Adjustable pipe and nut wrench



July 15 1924;

D. EL sT. JACQUES ADJUSTABLE PIPE AND NU'T WIRENCH J. `w`b El Patented J uly 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

To,k all whom t may concern.'

`Be it known that I, DELPHrs E. ST. JAG- QUES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable Pipe and Nut Wvrench, `ot which Y the following is a full, clear, and exact description. y

My invention relates to wrenches and more particularly lto the adjustable type de- Vsigned for-gripping and turning pipes, nuts orvbolts, the construction permittinga quick adjustment and a secure locking device, and has for its object to provide a wrench having a movable jawk slidably mounted in a casing or housing pivoted to the lfixed jaw or wrench bar, said casing or housing being yieldably supported onthe wrench bar, so as to permit a slight tilting movement of the sliding jaw.

A further object is to prov-ide a means for releasing the movable jaw bar of the wrench for free lactuation when desired, this being accomplished by pressing on the lever which raises the lock dog thereby freeing the movable jaw bar, and upon releasing the lever the lock dog automatically returns to its locked position.

The essential object of my invention is to provide a wrench with a -hexagonally shaped sliding'j'aw bar and Vavhousing so shaped as to conform with 4the shape of the s lidingj aw bar and fa lock dog provided with three cylindrical arms extending horizontallj and vertically which take up and distribute tothe best advantage the strain upon the wrenchV when in use, thereby preventing breakage, twisting or bending of the operating parts and wear thereon.

With Ythe foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe arrangement and `combina-tion of parts hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that changes in the precise embo`dinient of the invention herein disclosed, can be in'ade within the s'e'ope of what is claimed, without departing from the fsj'iirit of the invennen.

In'th'e drawing, forming a part of'this application anc' Yin which like-designating 'characters refer to the correspond-ing parts throughout the 'several views, Figure 1 is a "side eleva'tfior'i Aof the' improved wrench; ig.- ure 2 ifs' a transverse sectional. view taken ADJUSTABLE PIPE AND NUT WRENCH.

v.Application filed December 30, 1922. Serial No. 609,970.

through the working parts thereof; Figure 8 is a longitudinal vsectional view through the working parts of the wrench; Figure 4 is a perspective view ofthe loch dog.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, number 1 refers to the handle or wrench bar provided at one end with a serrated j aw and hase housing #2 pivoted thereto by a rivet #8 which extends through the adjacent portion of the handle and through the opposite spaced plate of the housing.

The housing #2 consists oIptwo. side plates and one upper plate-#21, which are eld together yby rivets.

Number 3 designates the sliding jaw bar which is hexagonally shaped up to the head, with teeth on the enlarged end or head so shaped as to tace the teeth on the wrench bar #1.

There are also teeth #6 4on the upper side of the sliding jaw bar which mesh with the teeth #16 on loch #4. The shaping ot the bar hexagonally permits ot its being braced in the housing as the sides of the housing are shaped to conform with the shape of the sliding jaw bar. By so bracing the sliding jaw bar there is no pressure put on the spiral springs #11 when the wrench is in use as would be the case if the sides of Vthe jaw bar were vertical.

Number et designates the lock dog comprising a base section and `an rupper section. The base section #2O has teeth k#16 on the lower side which engage with the teeth #6 on the upper side of the sliding jaw bar. The upper section consists ot an enlarged portion #15 from which extend three cylindrical arms, twov of which extend horizontally, and described as cross-arms #10, through the sides oi the housing as shown by number 18, permitting the lock to be raised or lowered by the lever #5, and one arm extending vertically, fitting into a socket provided therefor in the upper plate of thehou-sing and acting as a guide Jfor the lock. The enlarged portion forms a shoulder on each side to protect the Ysprings #11 from bendingin the center. j

Number 5 designates the lever which" is pressed downward to raise and disengage the lock #t vfrom the sliding jaw bar #3. This lever rocks on the rear upper housing rivet #7 and is so formed as to extend to both sides of the housing and support the horizontal cross-.arms #10 of lock #4, Whh extend Ythrcilsh @les .#9 Prende@ therefor, f

Number 11 designates the two spiral or coil springs used to hold the loch firm against the sliding jaw bar. The lower ends of the springs fit in countersunlr holes #17, on the upper side of the base of lock #4c and the upper ends ititting in similar holes #22 in the upper plate #21 of the housing.

The flat springs designated by number 12 on the upper and lower sides of the wrench bar hold the housing in place while permitting a certain degree of rocking, These springs are riveted to the wrench bar as designated by numbers 13 and 14.

Number 18 designates the oval-shaped holes in the side plates of the housing which permit the cross-arms of locks ttt to move upward and downward freely. These holes form a part of the loch, being so shaped as to hold the cross-arms lirmly in place, preventing the slightest movement forward or backward, thereby relieving the strain from the teeth on the upper side of the sliding` jaw bar #3.

Number 19 designates the roll which lits over the rivet #25 which acts as a spacer for the sides of the housing to permit. the sliding jaw bar to slide freely back and forth.

Number 21 designates the upper plate of the housing. In the lower side of this plate there are two countersunk holes #22 to admit the upper ends of the spiral springs #11, and a similar hole or socket #2a in the center to permit the entry of the vertical arm extending from lock dill.

Number 23 designates the trigger at the lower end of the housing. This trigger is used to space and set the wrench and also may be held by the operator. if found neces sary, in disengaging the teeth of the loclr dog and the sliding jaw bar when the lever is pressed to release the lock.

From this detailed description of the invention. it will be noted that to operate the wrench the lever :p55 is pressed downward, this action in turn raises the lool( dog #del and releases the sliding jaw bar which may then be moved longitudinally and adjusted as desired. Upon releasing the lever the spiral springs Tft-11 torce the loclr dog #4l against the sliding jaw i ir eugaging the teeth on the upper side of the jaw bar and holding the bar firmly in the adjusted place. In the maiuifacture of large sizedwrenches, it may be desired to lessen the weight of the sliding jaw bar. This may be accomplished by making grooves running horizontally in the sides of the sliding jaw bar.

Vhat l claim as my invention is 1. A wrench comprising a handle or wrench bar with a fixed aw, a housing with side and upper plates, said housing being pivoted to said handle, and having a longitudinal opening to conform with the shape of the sliding jaw bar, a movable jaw having a aw bar slidably mounted in said openv ing, said jaw bar being hexagonally shaped and provided with teeth on its upper edge the shape of the jaw bar and said opening being thus designed to result in a wedging action. bracing the jaw bar against movement when the jaws are under stress and thereby elieving the pressure from the spiral springs; a lock dog provided with teeth on the lower side of its base section to engage with the teeth on the sliding jaw bar and having two cylindrical crossarms extending horizontally' through the side plates of the rousing permitting the lock dog to be raised or lowered by the lever, and having one oylindrical arm extending vertically from the enlarged portion adjoining the base section of the locl, fitting into a socket provided therefor in the upper plate of the housing and acting as a guide, two spiral springs pressing said lock dog teeth int-o locking engagement with the aw bar teeth, a lever piv'- oted on the housing and so connected with the lock dog as to move it in an inoperative position by compressing the spiral springs, oval slots in the side plates of the housing, ruiming vertically, through which the crossarms project and so made as to permit the cross-arms of the lock to move upward and downward freely and also to hold said crossarms firmly in place thereby relieving the strain from the teeth on the upper side of the sliding jaw bar, and a trigger formed at the lower end of the housing for the purpose of spacing and setting the wrench and also to be held when disengaging the teeth of the loch dog and the sliding aw bar whenV the lever is pressed to release the lock dog.

2. ln a wrench comprisinga handle or wrench bar with a lined jaw, a housing with side and upper plates, said housing being pivoted to said handle, and having a longitudinal opening to conform with the shape of the sliding jaw bar, a movable jaw hav ing a jaw bar provided with teeth on its upper edge slidably mounted in said opening,L

lock dog provided with teeth on the lower side of its base section to engage with the teeth on the sliding jaw bar and having two cylindrical cross-arms extending horizontally through the side plates of the housing permitting the lock dog to be raised or lowered by the lever, and having one cylindrical arm extending vertically from the enlarged portion adjoining the base section of the lock, fitting into a socket provided therefor in the upper plate of the housing and act ing as a guide, two spiral springs pressing said lock dog teeth into locking engagement with the jaw bar teeth, a lever pivoted on the housing and so connected with the lock dog as to move it in an inoperative position by compressing the spiral springs, oval slots iso in the side plates of the housing, running vertically, through which the cross arms project and so made as to permit the crossarms of the lock to move upward and down- Ward freely and also to hold said cross-arms firmly in place thereby relieving the strain from the teeth on the upper side of the sliding jaw har, and a trigger formed at the lower end of the housing for the purpose of spacing and setting the Wrench and also to 10 be held When disengaging the teeth of the lock dog and the sliding jaw bar when the lever is pressed to release the lock dog.

DELPHIS E. ST. JACQUES. 

